Jane Haldimand Marcet (1769 1858) was a pioneer in the field of education who wrote accessible introductory books on science and economics. Noting that women's education 'is seldom calculated to prepare their minds for abstract ideas', she resolved to write books that would inform, entertain and improve a generation of female readers. First published anonymously in 1805, her two-volume work Conversations on Chemistry swiftly became a standard primer going through sixteen editions in England alone, and is credited with having influenced the young Michael Faraday. Presented as a series of...

Jane Haldimand Marcet (1769 1858) was a pioneer in the field of education who wrote accessible introductory books on science and economics. Noting that women's education 'is seldom calculated to prepare their minds for abstract ideas', she resolved to write books that would inform, entertain and improve a generation of female readers. First published anonymously in 1805, her two-volume Conversations on Chemistry swiftly became a standard primer going through sixteen editions in England alone, and is credited with having influenced the young Michael Faraday. Presented as a series of...

Published at a pivotal moment in the economic development of Britain, Conversations on Political Economy (1816) influenced a generation of economists, politicians and intellectuals. Employing her trademark format of dialogues between Mrs. Bryan and her pupil Caroline, Marcet introduces readers to theories surrounding property, population, and the 'condition of the poor'. Despite a target audience of young women, there is little evidence of feminine sentimentality, nor does the author's commitment to female education prevent her from propounding challenging, often controversial arguments; an...

An engaging introduction to grammar through the conversations Mary shares with her mother. Stories are interspersed periodically to enliven the short lessons on grammar. The author of this book, Jane Marcet, was a prolific writer in the first half of the 19th century. Her success lay in her ability to explain complex concepts in simple language to a broad audience, to adults as well as to children. In her works for children, she guides the youthful reader to discovery, prompting her to be observant and engendering in her a thirst for further knowledge.